For the first time in this Brasileirao campaign, Round 6 fixtures took place across the weekend, and as always, there was no shortage of drama.
Derbies, late moments, and even managerial sackings all featured, so here are five major talking points from the Brasileiro action this week.
Tite Sacked
Following the end of his tenure with the Brazil National Team in 2022, legendary coach Tite has faced a disappointing spell, as he has now been dismissed just 17 games into his tenure at Cruzeiro.
His record stands at eight wins, three draws and six defeats from those 17 matches. The struggles follow his time at Flamengo, where he was also sacked in 2024, after a shock exit in the Copa Libertadores.
The pattern has repeated itself once again, with Cruzeiro sitting second from the bottom of the Brasileirao.
Despite a state championship victory over Atletico Mineiro, their league form has ultimately led to Tite’s departure.
Deemed as one of the favourites at the start of the season, it has been a disappointing campaign for Cruzeiro. After six matches, they have drawn three and lost three, leaving them sitting 19th in the table.
The final straw for Tite came at the weekend as they drew 3-3 with Vasco da Gama, despite Vasco playing most of the second half with 10 men.
There were early rumours linking Filipe Luís with the role, but the Brazilian is understood to be targeting a move to Europe.
As a result, Cruzeiro have turned their attention towards Arthur Jorge, formerly of Botafogo.
During his time at the club, he guided them to both the Brasileirao title and the Copa Libertadores, while also picking up individual honours, including the Serie A Coach of the Year award in 2024.
He later made the move to the Middle East and is currently in charge of Al Rayyan in Qatar.
Flamengo cruises in the Clássico da Rivalidade
The latest edition of the Classico da Rivalidade saw Botafogo and Flamengo go head to head once again.
The match was played at Botafogo’s home, the Estadio Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro, and it proved to be a very comfortable afternoon for the Rubro Negro, who are adapting well to life under Leonardo Jardim.
Samuel Lino opened the scoring for Flamengo inside 13 minutes, before a superb free kick from Leo Pereira in first-half stoppage time left goalkeeper Raul Steffens with no chance.
Things went from bad to worse for Botafogo before the break, as Captain Alexander Barboza was sent off, leaving them to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
Just after the restart, a neat cross from right back Guillermo Varela found Pedro, who fired Flamengo into a three-goal lead, which ultimately proved enough.
The result sees Flamengo sit in fifth place, with a game in hand on several sides above them, while Botafogo have slipped into the drop zone after three consecutive defeats.
Sao Paulo continue to exceed expectations
Sao Paulo have been one of the most in-form sides in Brazil in 2026. From their opening matches, they have consistently picked up results, dropping points only against Santos in the league, while also suffering defeat to Palmeiras in the Campeonato Paulista. This result ultimately led to Hernan Crespo being sacked despite solid performances.
Since his departure, their form has remained strong under Roger Machado. In their most recent fixture, they faced Bragantino in an all-Paulista clash in Bragança Paulista.
Prior to this match, Sao Paulo had not beaten Bragantino away from home in the Brasileirao.
That run came to an end here. Despite falling behind in the 36th minute to a Jose Herrera strike, goals from Sabino and Jonathan Calleri secured a 2-1 victory.
The result sees the 2005 World Champions retain their top spot in the league. From their opening six matches, they have won five and drawn one, remaining unbeaten alongside Bahia.
At the start of the season, expectations around the Paulista side were uncertain, but if they can continue in this form, there is no telling how far they can go.
Atletico Mineiro facing a relegation battle again?
Atletico Mineiro often come into a season as one of the favourites to challenge for the league title. However, since lifting the Brasileirao in 2021, they have somewhat fallen under the radar.
They have still shown quality in continental competitions, reaching the Copa Libertadores final in 2023 and the Copa Sudamericana final in 2024, but fell short on both occasions. Domestically, their league form has struggled to match those runs.
In 2024, Atletico Mineiro finished just five points above the drop zone, relying on a late surge to secure survival. A similar story followed in 2025, with the gap to the bottom four again standing at five points.
There had been hope that 2026 would bring improvement, but their start to the campaign suggests they could once again be dragged into a relegation battle.
From six matches, they have picked up just one win, along with two draws and three defeats, leaving them two points above the bottom four.
When Atletico fail to start well, their struggles tend to continue. In contrast, their strong start in 2023 saw them finish third, but since then, consistency in the league has been hard to find.
Their focus has often shifted towards cup competitions, and this season appears to be following a similar pattern. At the weekend, they travelled to face Vitoria, a notoriously difficult place to go, and once again fell short. Goals from Renato Kayzer and Erick secured a 2-0 win for the hosts.
It was a familiar story. Galo saw plenty of the ball and created chances, but lacked cutting edge in front of goal, while continuing to look vulnerable defensively.
Unless there is a clear improvement, they could be set for another season battling near the bottom of the table.
Brasileirao call-ups for Brazil’s March internationals
On Monday, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti named his squad for the upcoming friendlies against France and Croatia, as preparations continue ahead of the World Cup.
Four players from the Brasileirao have been included, starting with Botafogo midfielder Danilo, who has been in fine form. After impressing during his time at Nottingham Forest, his move to Botafogo has helped him cement a place in the national team picture.
He is joined by another Danilo, the experienced full back now at Flamengo, who continues to perform at a high level following a long and successful career in Europe.
Flamengo are well represented in the squad, with Alex Sandro also included. The defender, who has 43 caps for Brazil, has brought consistency and experience since returning to the Brazilian game.
Another Flamengo player, Leo Pereira, could be in line for his first cap. At 30 years of age, he has been in outstanding form at the heart of the defence, playing a key role in a side that operates with an aggressive, attacking style under Jardim.
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His performances have not gone unnoticed, and he could offer a profile that suits Brazil’s current approach.
However, one notable absentee is Neymar. The forward has endured injury setbacks at Santos, but since returning, he has shown glimpses of his quality, including a brace against Vasco da Gama.
If he can maintain that level, he will surely give Ancelotti something to think about, as leaving out a player capable of producing moments of individual brilliance is never an easy decision.